Armory 102 – Charge Group Theory and Style Rules

1. Armory 102 – Charge Group Theory and Style Rules Presented by Yehuda ben Moshe Elmet Herald

2. Charge Group Theory • SCA invention – SENA Appendix I • A charge group is a group of charges of approximately the same size and visual weight that act as a single visual unit • Most of our style and conflict rules are built around charge groups • “Core” style devices must be organizable into charge groups

3. Charge Group Theory • Primary Charge Group • Always placed directly on the field • Placed in the visual center of the field • Usually the largest charge group • Not all devices have a primary charge group • A central ordinary is (almost) always the primary charge group

4. Charge Group Theory • Primary Charge Group • Bend

5. Charge Group Theory • Primary Charge Group • Two Bendlets

6. Charge Group Theory • Primary Charge Group • A lion

7. Charge Group Theory • Primary Charge Group • Three lions

8. Charge Group Theory • Primary Charge Group • Semy of lions

9. Charge Group Theory • Primary Charge Group • A cross

10. Charge Group Theory • Primary Charge Group • On a divided field with no central charge, the charges on either side of the division are the primary charge group

11. Charge Group Theory • Primary Charge Group • A lion and a cross

12. Charge Group Theory • Primary Charge Group • A lion and semy of Crosses

13. Charge Group Theory • Primary Charge Group • Two crosses and an owl

14. Charge Group Theory • Primary Charge Group • An owl

15. Charge Group Theory • Primary Charge Group • A peripheral ordinary (chief, base, bordure, canton, orle, etc.) can never be a primary charge • Field-primary armory • Armory with no primary charge group is considered to be Field-primary, and has special rules • Two possible ways this can happen: • No charges at all • Peripheral ordinaries only

16. Charge Group Theory • Secondary Charge Group • Always placed directly on the field • Generally “surrounds” the primary charge group • Cannot have a secondary without a primary group

17. Charge Group Theory • Secondary Charge Group • Primary: a chevron • Secondary: three roundels

18. Charge Group Theory • Secondary Charge Group – peripheral ordinary • Primary: a bend • Secondary: a bordure

19. Charge Group Theory • Secondary Charge Group – semy • Primary: a cross • Secondary: semy of lions

20. Charge Group Theory • Tertiary Charge Group • Placed on another charge, not on the field • A single charge may only have one tertiary charge group on it

21. Charge Group Theory • Tertiary Charge Group - Ok • Primary: a pale • Tertiary: three mullets

22. Charge Group Theory • Tertiary Charge Group - Ok • Primary: a pale • Tertiary: a tower between two mullets

23. Charge Group Theory • Tertiary Charge Group – No • Primary: a chevron • Tertiary 1: tower • Tertiary 2: mullet

24. Charge Group Theory • Overall Charge Group • Crosses the center of the field • Placed partially on the field and partially on other charges • Underlying charge is the primary charge • Can only have one overall charge group in any device • In period, the overall charge is almost always a bend • Overall charge must be substantially on the field

25. Charge Group Theory • Overall Charge Group - Ok • Primary: a lion • Overall: a bend

26. Charge Group Theory • Overall Charge Group – “barely” overall - No • Primary: a pale • Overall: a mullet

27. Charge Group Theory • Maintained/Sustained charges • “Held” by another charge, usually a primary • Maintained charges are much smaller than the primary charge • Considered artistic detail • Do not count for difference • Sustained charges are more than ½ of the visual weight of the primary charge, but less that the total visual weight • Considered a secondary charge

28. Charge Group Theory • Maintained/Sustained charges • Co-primary charge • “Held” charge has equal visual weight to the primary charge • Considered part of the primary charge group

29. Charge Group Theory • Maintained Charge • Primary: a dragon • Maintained: a sword

30. Charge Group Theory • Sustained Charge • Primary: a dragon • Sustained secondary: a sword

31. Rules of Heraldry – Blazon • Azure, three fleurs-de-lys Or. • Arms of France Images from St. Machar’s Cathedral, Aberdeen, ca AD 1520

32. Rules of Heraldry – Blazon • Or semy of eagles azure, a cross gules. • Sir (Thomas) Cheney, Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports Images from Insignia Anglica, mid 16C

33. Rules of Heraldry – Blazon • Or, five mullets of eight points two, one, and two gules within a bordure azure. • Arms of the ChefeBarbedo (Portugal)

34. Rules of Heraldry – Blazon • Gules, two swords in saltire proper between four roses in cross argent. Images from Insignia Anglica, mid 16C

35. Rules of Heraldry – Blazon • Argent, a lion gules, a bordure sable semy of roundels Or. • Count of Cornwall Images from Insignia Anglica, mid 16C

36. Rules of Heraldry – Blazon • Azure, on a bend gules between two mermaids argent, three fleurs-de-lys Or. • Arms of the ChefeOrnelas (Portugal)

37. Rules of Heraldry – Blazon • Checky Or and azure. • Count of Warren Images from Insignia Anglica, mid 16C

38. Rules of Heraldry – Blazon • Barry argent and gules. Images from Insignia Anglica, mid 16C

39. Rules of Heraldry – Blazon • Or, three chevronels Gules. • Count of Clare Images from Insignia Anglica, mid 16C

40. Rules of Heraldry – Blazon • Or, a chief indented sable. Images from Insignia Anglica, mid 16C

41. Armory Rules – Types of Armory • Individual submitters are allowed six pieces of armory • Device • Badges • SCA Branches may register any number of pieces of armory • Device • Badges

42. Armory Rules – Types of Armory • Device • One device per submitter • Becomes “Arms” when granted an AoA • Identifies “This is me” • Submitted on a shield-shaped form

43. Armory Rules – Types of Armory • Badge • Multiple badges permitted • A badge can be an alternate device • A badge is used to identify “This is mine” • Possessions • Household members • Retinue • Can have a field or be fieldless • Submitted on a square-shaped form

44. Armory Rules – Types of Armory • Armory with a field (A3A1) • Field is specified – solid tincture or partitioned • Fieldless badges (A3A2) • Do not have a defined field • Can be displayed on any background • All charges must touch one another • “Cast out of metal” rule

45. Armory Rules – Contrast • Rule of Tinctures (A3B) • Don’t place a metal on a metal or a color on a color • Good Contrast • Metal and color • Metal and neutral • Color and neutral

46. Armory Rules – Contrast • Good contrast is required when a charge is placed on a background (A3B4) • Identifiability must be maintained Good Contrast Poor Contrast

47. Armory Rules – Contrast • Divided fields (and charges) (A3B3) • Fields divided into two parts • Don’t need good contrast • Can’t have the same base tincture No Ok

48. Armory Rules – Contrast • Divided fields (and charges) (A3B3) • Fields divided into three parts (per pall) • Need good contrast between one part and the other two • No two parts can share the same tincture or base tincture No Ok

49. Armory Rules – Contrast • Divided fields (and charges) (A3B3) • Fields divided quarterly or per saltire • Don’t need good contrast • Can’t have the same base tincture • All other field divisions must have good contrast No Ok

50. Armory Rules – Charge Groups • Clarity of charge group (A3D1) • Charges must be clearly organized into charge group • Blurring the distinction between charge groups is not permitted No Ok